When to plant daffodils in zone 5a
In zone 5a, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 3, plant August 23 to October 4.
The zone 5a schedule for daffodils
- Plant for a fall crop
- August 23 to October 4
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,200 ZIP codes in zone 5a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for daffodils.
Frost risk in zone 5a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 5a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 27 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 21 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 25 to October 13. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 3Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 17Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for daffodils
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant daffodils where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Daffodils in zone 5a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | — | Sep 4 to Oct 16 |
| St. Paul, MN | Apr 23 | — | Sep 4 to Oct 16 |
| Anchorage, AK | May 5 | — | Aug 20 to Oct 1 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | May 1 | — | Aug 25 to Oct 6 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Apr 28 | — | Aug 31 to Oct 12 |
| Billings, MT | May 10 | — | Aug 20 to Oct 1 |
| Bloomington, MN | Apr 23 | — | Sep 2 to Oct 14 |
| Sioux City, IA | Apr 29 | — | Aug 24 to Oct 5 |
| Brooklyn Park, MN | Apr 30 | — | Aug 27 to Oct 8 |
| Woodbury, MN | Apr 24 | — | Sep 4 to Oct 16 |
| Plymouth, MN | Apr 29 | — | Aug 31 to Oct 12 |
| Blaine, MN | Apr 30 | — | Aug 27 to Oct 8 |
How to grow daffodilsAll zonesDaffodils in zone 4bDaffodils in zone 5bAbout zone 5a
Sources
- Narcissus (Daffodil) - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox · NC State Extension
- Narcissus tazetta - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox · NC State Extension
- HO-11: The Narcissus · Purdue Extension
- FPS423/FP423: Narcissus spp. Daffodil, Narcissus · UF/IFAS Extension
- ENH1190/EP451: North Florida Gardening Calendar · UF/IFAS Extension
- Paperwhite Narcissus · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Spring-Flowering Bulbs (HGIC) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- Bulbs to Plant in the Fall · South Dakota State University Extension
- Spring Flowering Bulbs (FS1220) · Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- Plant Bulbs Now for Spring Color · University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
- Horticultural Activities for Fall · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Bexar County
- Autumn Planting For Next Year's Bulbs · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Bexar County
- Bulbs for Central Texas · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Travis County
- Hyacinth (Reference Desk Q&A) · University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
- Bulbs · UF/IFAS Extension Leon County
- Plant Bulbs in the Fall for a Spring Celebration · Penn State Extension
- Bulbs (Backyard Farmer) · University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Backyard Farmer
- How to plant flower bulbs for a colorful spring display · University of Illinois Extension